The lawyer for Iranian university professor Hashen Aghajari, who was sentenced to death for insulting Islam, appealed the verdict Monday.
Aghajari was condemned to hang last month after he questioned clerical rule, saying believers should not blindly follow senior clerics.
The sentence sparked two weeks of pro-reform demonstrations by students, and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered a review of the verdict. But Iran's state prosecutor warned last week that Aghajari's sentence would become final Tuesday if no appeal was filed.
The Tehran history lecturer refused to appeal the sentence himself, challenging the authority of the court. But his lawyer said last week he would appeal independently of his client.
"My client still doesn't want to appeal the verdict, but the power of attorney empowers me to take such action in order not to give any pretext to the judiciary," lawyer Saleh Nikbakht said Monday. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
